22 December 2016 – Media Release
Cumberland Council is placing a Draft Auburn and Lidcombe Town Centre Strategy on Exhibition which proposes a number of principles for the growth of these centres and recommends changes to the existing planning controls to enable a more diverse built form and improved design outcomes.
Cumberland Council Administrator, Viv May, said “As a result of extensive studies and an assessment by the Cumberland Council Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel (CIHAP), this strategy proposes a number of important changes to the planning controls, particularly maximum building height controls, in Auburn and Lidcombe town centres and I implore residents, businesses and other stakeholders to review this material and provide comments during the exhibition period.”
“It is vitally important for the public to have their say so that community sentiment can be incorporated into this process. This is the appropriate point at which people should get involved and share their opinion – at the draft strategy stage. This Draft Strategy will be used to inform the Local Environment Plan for these centres and that can have a major impact on neighbourhoods and that way that people live.
“I have been determined to improve transparency for the people of Cumberland and it is instructive to note that this draft strategy was assessed independently, and its subsequent recommendations were made independently,” Mr May said.
The draft strategy would ultimately inform a planning proposal to amend the Auburn Local Environment Plan 2010. In addition to placing the report on exhibition and reporting back to CIHAP, Council last also resolved to:
- Propose amended Floor Space Ratio for a number of precincts in the Auburn and Lidcombe Town Centres
- Engage consultants to prepare a detailed study of the Gelibolu Precinct (Precinct 22) and a general view analysis of the surrounding residential areas in both Town Centres, and that a report be brought back to CIHAP and subsequently to Council for consideration
- Investigate the potential for provisions for design excellence as part of the preparation of a future Comprehensive Local Environmental Plan (LEP) for Cumberland
- preliminary investigation of potential opportunities to foster an innovation ecosystem in Lidcombe
- That a Council will continue to do a range of more detailed future work, including a Circulation Study for Lidcombe Town Centre
- That Council consider the heritage listing of the Gallipoli Mosque and shop facades of both Town Centres as an early stage of the Cumberland Heritage Study.
Community information and feedback sessions will now be conducted in the Auburn and Lidcombe Town Centres. The details will be released in early 2017.
